VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment organized an Indonesia-France bilateral focus group discussion (FGD) in Bali province on Thursday to discuss and allow knowledge sharing on maritime territory security and management.

The event was themed ‘Building Indonesia's Maritime Resilience in the Coastal Region and Outermost Islands.’

Currently, the challenges in the maritime sector have moved beyond the traditional challenges of security and political disturbances, deputy for coordination of maritime and energy sovereignty at the ministry, Basilio Dias Araujo, said in a statement issued here the same day.

Nowadays, various contemporary challenges have arisen, such as the practice of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as well as the destructive effects of climate change.

"Hence, Indonesia needs to prepare a maritime resilience strategy and action program as the basis for establishing various maritime regulations, especially regarding the management of coastal areas and outermost islands," the deputy remarked.

Indonesia will take three main actions to strengthen its maritime resilience, including increasing awareness on maritime security issues, cooperating with domestic and international partners, as well as establishing regulations for effective maritime resource management, he informed.

"The maritime resilience program must be regarded as an integrated commitment of all stakeholders,” Araujo said.

He also emphasized that the synergy of various institutions, infrastructure, and policies to improve information systems and strengthen national capacity development is important to build Indonesia’s maritime security.

Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Indonesia, Olivier Chambard, highlighted that both Indonesia and France have a vast maritime area.

"We have unlimited potential to become prosperous (countries due to our maritime resources). Still, at the same time, we also have to face environmental, sustainability, and security challenges," he added.

The result of the FGD was a commitment to develop an action plan for maritime resilience as a road map to establish sustainable and responsible maritime security policies in collaboration with all stakeholders in the sector.  (Antaranews)